The Lethbridge Hurricanes are now a perfect 8-0 on home ice in the 2018 WHL Playoffs thanks to a 5-1 win over the Swift Current Broncos on Wednesday night.
After dropping the first two games in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Final in Swift Current, the Hurricanes have won back-to-back games at the Enmax Centre in Lethbridge to even the series at 2-2.
“The way we’re playing right now is really good. I mean, we’re putting pucks behind their ‘D’ and making them work all game,” Hurricanes Defenceman Calen Addison said. “They’re having a hard time getting out of their zone and we’re beating them down pretty good. We’re really happy in our room and we’re keeping it really positive.”
The Hurricanes shot out of the gate in game four getting goals from Forwards Jadon Joseph and Logan Barlage in the opening fourteen minutes, quickly taking a 2-0 lead.
Broncos Forward Tyler Steenbergen would snap a shot past ‘Canes Goalie Logan Flodell late in the first period to cut the lead to 2-1, but that’s as close as Swift Current would get.
A wild first period concluded with a Taylor Ross power play marker and the Hurricanes took a 3-1 lead into the intermission.
Specialty teams has been a major positive for the ‘Canes in the post-season and it was once again in game four. Calen Addison scored two more power play goals, one in the second and another in the third to solidify the 5-1 win. The ‘Canes went 4/10 on the man advantage, while the Broncos went 0/7 on their opportunities.
“We make it that much harder on ourselves when we take penalty after penalty after penalty, dumb, dumb penalties,” Broncos Head Coach Manny Viveiros said. “That’s what it was. Lethbridge deserved to win.”
Hurricanes goalie Logan Flodell turned in another strong performance, stopping 25 of 26 of the Broncos’ shots.
On the other side, after spectacular goaltending performances in games one and two of the series, Broncos goaltender Stuart Skinner has not had a friendly welcome back to Lethbridge. The former ‘Canes goalie has given up 9 goals on 61 shots since the series shifted to the ‘bridge and has routinely been taunted by the fans after giving up goals.
“I’m kind of even with it kind of on both sides. I would have expected a little bit more respect from the fans especially after everything me and Giorgio (Estephan) did for them,” Skinner said. “It kind of shows you the type of respect they have for us and how fast things can change and I’m fine with it though… I want to beat the fans now so I’m ready to go.”
Even though the series is tied, Skinner admits the Broncos are lucky to not already be eliminated.
“To be honest I think we should be going home right now. I think Lethbridge should have swept us,” Skinner said. “The last two games we got at home I thought we got lucky. That’s part of the game though and that’s part of hockey, sometimes teams get lucky… They definitely deserved to win these two games and they definitely deserved to win the last two games. It’s our job to figure it out, or we’re going to go home.”
Hurricanes Captain Jordy Bellerive believes that kind of mentality will serve the ‘Canes well moving forward.
“I think if their kind of down on themselves I think that puts us in a pretty good spot because when we went down 2-0 there was not a doubt in our mind that we could come back home and win both games,” Bellerive said. “That’s kind of been the plan for us and we stuck to our plan and that’s where we are now.”
After outscoring Swift Current 10-2 in the last two games, Lethbridge has momentum on their side as the series shift back to Swift Current for game five.
As for the Broncos, they won’t soon forget the thumping handed to them Wednesday night.
“We need to remember how we looked tonight,” Viveiros said. “As a team I thought we embarrassed ourselves tonight and that’s not who we are and that’s not how we play and that enough motivation will make us better. We’ll be better. It’s still two, two, but I’m not happy with how we presented ourselves on the ice tonight.”
Game five is in Swift Current Saturday night and there will be a Game 6 back in Lethbridge on Monday.
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